Digging

I got tired of the words ‘creating a gravel garden’. Especially as I am Having Doubts about the aesthetic merits of a pale grey and white cover for this very woodland area. But more on that later.

What is that medical condition suffered by people who spend all day using a jack hammer to break up concrete?

Vibration white finger. That’s the one.

There was a moment when I actually thought that could be a condition I could go for.  I have a slower version of it as I type.  I sort of juddering bouncing of the nerves along my arm.

It’s quite interesting, medically speaking.

Add to that biceps Popeye would be proud of and I can tell you that this autumn project is marvellous fun.

I keep praising myself when I’ve dug over another very small patch. I’m particularly pleased to clear away so many brambles and periwinkle (vinca) strays from under the pine tree.  I might lift the crown a bit and remove a few branches. I keep walking into it when I stand up to stretch my aching back.

On the right of the beds are a fig and a walnut.  Not a dense canopy on either tree, so that’s good.  And I think I’m going to plant another fig further down the garden for a bit of balance. And because I have a spare. The wasps will be thrilled.

Back to my ground cover crisis.  Is this going to be a gravel garden at all?

I was standing there in the late afternoon light (well, it was 720pm and I should have stopped) and thought. I don’t know if this mountain terrace could take the glaring white and grey of gravel.

It’s a more woodland scene. With brown hues.

Oh crisis.

Especially as the thought of chipping enough branches to mulch this whole area is also time-consuming and tedious.  I’m building up a pretty large collection of dead branches.  So it can be done. But oh my this is going to be a busy winter.

I had a little companion for my afternoon digging session.  And he gave the path the cat test. It works. He followed the path nicely without any deviation, so I think I have created a natural feeling curve.

That’s a relief. More digging to go.

Have a dahlia. Heaps for the market this week.